Our 84th annual Sask Valley Music Festival wrapped up on Friday, March 22, with our Awards Concert attended by over 200 people who were amazed by the performances they heard in piano, voice, Musical Theatre, instrumental and spoken word.
The students were encouraged and taught between March 13 and 20 by expert adjudicators Kathleen Lorenz Gable, Chelsea Mahan and Brent Pittman. Special congratulations to the students recommended in 21 different classes at provincial competitions to be held at the U of S in Saskatoon from May 30-June 2, 2024.
As we find our way back from the pandemic, our entries were up 30% over 2023, almost a record number. We are grateful for strong audiences throughout, not only at the final concert. We could not do this without many donors, both business and individuals, with a passion for music. Special this year were two new scholarships for duets, vocal and instrumental, donated by the Steinke and Nickel families in memory of loved ones that passed this last year.
For more details, check out our webpage www.saskvalleymusicfestival.com.
The following is a list of the winners in the various categories:
Piano:
Friesen’s Bigway Rising Star Trophy & Scholarship: Julia Ens
Studio 52 Piano Scholarship I: Libby Friesen
Katherine Hooge Trophy & Scholarship: Jaron Ens
Studio 52 Piano Scholarship II: Anthony Rueb & Therron Lester
Rosthern Lionels Scholarship: Alexander Reban & Simeon Friesen
SVMFA Piano Scholarship I : Henry Balzar & Louis Bandsmer
SVMFA Piano Scholarship II: Dominic Reban & Wattson Lester
SVMFA Piano Scholarship III: Cade Bueckert & Jayden Billesberger
Valley Sports and Hardware Trophy: Jaron Ens
Audrey Watson Scholarship : Jesse Hildebrandt
Judy McKinnell Memorial Award & Scholarship: Abigail Langelaar
Swab Family Award & Scholarship: Natalie Reban
Studio 52 Piano Scholarship III: Clara Loewen
Victor & Irma Lehmann Trophy & Scholarship: Angelica Bandsmer
Rosthern Medical Clinic Scholarship: Eli Ens
Rosthern Lions Club Scholarship: Ema Friesen
L.P. Schmidt Trucking Ltd. Church Music Trophy: Eli Ens
SVMFA Canadian Music Piano Scholarship: Abigail Ostapak
Sask Valley Duo/Duet Trophy: Ionela Bauman & Cyrus Lo
Lorene Nickel Memorial Scholarship for Duets: Ionela Bauman & Cyrus Lo
Funk’s Funeral Home Shield & Scholarship: Eli Ens
Sask Valley Jubilee Rose Bowl & Scholarship: Lochlan Lester
Instrumental:
Elma Janzen Memorial Scholarship I: Annaliese Billesberger
Elma Janzen Memorial Scholarship II: Monica Steinke
Rosthern Agencies Trophy: Jason Lai
Sask Valley Music Festival Instrumental Scholarship: Jason Lai
Vocal and Musical Theatre:
Vocal Scholarship I: Audrey Loewen
Vocal Scholarship II: Quillen Kroeker
Affinity Credit Union Musical Theatre Scholarship: Audrey Loewen
Waldheim School Cup: Zoe Ostapak
Rosthern Junior College High School Board Scholarship: Zoe Ostapak
Staging Canadell Musical Theatre Scholarship: Monica Steinke
Carl J. Goerz Scholarship: Jesse Wood
Louella Klassen Friesen Scholarship: Mia Gillingham
MacMillan Folksong Scholarship: Monica Steinke
SVMFA Canadian Music Vocal Scholarship: Emma Gillingham
Bethany College Trophy and Scholarship: Ionela Bauman
George Steinke Memorial Scholarship for Duets: Ionela Bauman & Monica Steinke
Station Arts Centre Musical Theatre Trophy: Monica Steinke
Erwin Janzen Memorial Trophy & Scholarship: Monica Steinke
Vernon Klaassen Vocal Rose Bowl & Dora Klaassen Memorial Scholarship: Emma Gillingham
Spoken Word:
Speech Arts Scholarship: Abigail Siemens
SVMFA Speech Arts Scholarship I: Eli Ens
SVMFA Speech Arts Scholarship II: Isaac Hildebrandt
Spoken Word Excellence Award: Stefan Jones
Choral Speech:
Sask Valley Music Festival Shield: Hague Elementary School Grade 2
Hague Hardware Shield: Hepburn School Grade 4
Choral:
Robert E. Regier Memorial Shield: Classical Conversations Homeschooling Group
The Gift of Song Shield: Waldheim School Chorus
Affinity Credit Union Shield: Hague Youth Choir
David H. Paetkau Memorial Shield: RJC High School Singers
Friesen’s Bigway Foods Scholarship: RJC High School Concert Choir
Affinity Credit Union Choral Scholarship: RJC High School Singers